Rock crushing apparatus with sonic wave action



y 1964 A. e. BODINE, JR 3,131,878

ROCK CRUSHING APPARATUS WITH SONIC WAVE ACTION Filed June 5, 1962 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR.

FIG.1

ATTORNEY ALBERT G. BODINE,J R.

May 5, 1964 A. G. BODINE, JR 3,131,878

ROCK CRUSHING APPARATUS WITH SONIC WAVE ACTION Filed June 5, 1962 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ALBERT G. BODINE JR ATTnFeNEY y 1964 A. G. BODINE, JR 3,131,878

ROCK CRUSHING APPARATUS WITH some WAVE. ACTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJune 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

ALBERT G.- BODINEQR.

l/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,131,878 RGCK CFtUSl- G APPARATUSWilli SGNEC WAVE ACTION Albert G. Bodine, Ilia, Los Angeles, Calif.(7877 Woodley Ava, Van Nuys, Calif.) Filed Zone 5, 1962, Ser. No. 2%,69113 Claims. (CL Z41262) This invention relates generally to theprocessing of minerals and the like by gradual reduction of the size ofrelatively large particles thereof, and is especially applicable to rockcrushing, though not limited thereto. The invention deals moreparticularly with crushing of particles of rock and the like bysubjecting them to the fatigue action of powerful high impedance soundwaves. In this connection, a sound wave of high impedance denotes asound wave (wave of alternating compression and rarefaction)characterized by a high ratio of applied pressure wave amplitude toresulting elastic displacement velocity.

Conventional rock crushers commonly employ two jaws, one stationary andone movable, the movable jaw being forced toward the stationary jawusually by a large toggle. Very extreme forces are required to crack andcrush large rocks between the jaws of such Crushers, so that the crushermust be built ery large and heavy throughout, and must include verylarge and heavy foundation structure, in order to withstand the extremestresses developed in the mechanism.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a rock crushingprocess and apparatus operating upon novel sonic wave principles, andwhich, though provided with jaws of a fair degree of size and inertia,can, because of balancing of dynamic loads, be in large part ofcomparatively light construction, particularly in its foundation and inits general framework.

Another object of the invention and a corresponding attainment thereof,is the provision of a rock crusher and crushing process in which therock is subjected to sonic wave trains of compression and tension, andfragmentation of the rock is attained by fatigue failure of the rockunder moderate cyclic stress, rather than by application of a largecrushing force, in a brute force style of action. The advantage flowingfrom this novel type of rock crushing include great reduction in themagnitude of required jaw force, and consequent reduction in necessarybulk and mass of the jaws, as well as throughout the entirety of themachine.

In another manner of speaking, the rock particles to be crushed are, inaccordance with the broad principle of the invention, acousticallycoupled into an acoustic circuit, where they are continuously subjectedto an acoustic wave action which gradually reduces their size owing toprogressive fragmentation by elastic fatigue failure. The rock particlesremain in the acoustic circuit, and subject to continuin elastic fatiguefailure, as they are progressively reduced in size, until apredetermined fineness is reached. A preferred form of crusher inaccordance with the invention utilizes a wedge-shaped path or slotbetween the jaws for the rock passing through the acoustic circuit ofthe crusher. The rock contains particles originally of too great a sizeto more than just enter into the large upper end of this wedge-shapedslot; but as it is progressively reduced in particle size it fallsgradually through the slot under the influence of gravity. It remainsacoustically coupled in the circuit until it finally falls from thenarrow end of the wedge-shaped slot between the jaws.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription of certain illustrative embodiments thereof, reference forthis purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal medial section through an illustrative rockcrusher in accordance with the invention, certain parts in the medialplane of the section being shown in elevation, and the near side coverof the wave generator being removed;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rock crusher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a broken longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment ofthe invention, being a section on broken line 4-4 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the rock crusher of FIG. 4, the hopper beingremoved;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and2, a relatively light base 19 is provided, comprising in this case twolongitudinal earth engaging skids in the form of channels 11 connectedat their ends by transverse end members 12. Mounted on one end of thisbase, on an I-bearn member 13 bridging channels 11, is a fixed crusherjaw or anvil 14 which affords a large inertia mass, and which is hereshown in the form of a generally rectangular block. This jaw or anvil 14has the inertia necessary to withstand or absorb a large periodic forceimpulse in the operation of the crusher without substantial yield orvibration.

Horizontally opposed to fixed jaw 14 is a vibratory jaw 15, also oflarge inertia mass, and in the general form of a rectangular block. Thisvibratory jaw 15 is mounted on one end of an elastic, longitudinallyvibratory rod or shaft 16, preferably composed of steel for good elasticwave action without fatigue.

This opposite end of shaft 16 supports and is acoustically coupled to asonic wave generator 20, designed to set up in shaft 16 longitudinallyoriented, elastic, sonic wave action, of a nature to be described moreparticularly hereinafter.

Between jaw 15 and Wave generator 20, and preferably considerably nearerto the former than the latter, the shaft 16 is formed with a cylindricalmounting collar 21, which is embraced by the halves of a splitstationary mounting block 22 fixed to the top flange of an l-beam 23bridging frame members 11. Preferably, side plates or strays 23a arefastened at opopsite ends to stationary block 22 and stationary jaw 14to steady these members.

In the operation of the crusher, jaw 15 vibrates through a very shortdisplacement distance toward and from the opposed fixed jaw 14. It ishere shown as vertically supported throughout this vibratory movement bysliding engagement with the top flange of an l-beam support 24 bridgingthe frame members 11.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, jaw 15 is squared offvertically, so as to present a working face 15a disposed in a verticalplane. The opposed side of fixed jaw 14 is channelled to form a steepsloping Working face 14a, with vertical edge margins 25 to confine therock between the jaws. These conformations define a wedge-shaped path orslot S for the rock particles through the space between the jaws, thewider end of the wedge being at the top; and the rock material is in theacoustic circuit of the acoustic components 14, 15, 15 and 2b of therock crusher while in this slot.

A hopper 26 leading to the space or slot S between the jaws is mountedby means of arms 27 on jaw 14. The jaws are so spaced from one anotherthat the upper side of the wedge-shaped slot S will just receive thelargest rocks anticipated, while the gap at the lower end of the slotwill pass rock of the maximum size desired in the output.

Vibration generator 29 is preferably of a type disclosed in myco-pending application entitled Vibration Generator for Resonant Loadsand Sonic System Embodying Same, filed March 21, 1962, Serial No.181,385.

oneness J3 It is therefore largely diagrammatically illustrated and onlybriefly described herein. With reference to FIG. 3, in addition to FIGS.1 andZ, the generator 2% includes an intermediate body member or block35, and two end plates 36 and 37, end plate 36 being removed to exposeunderlying members in FIG. 1. Block 35 has two raceway bores 38, oneover the other, and each contains an inertia rotor 41?. Each such rotor40 embodies an inertia roller 41, of somewhat less diameter than thecorresponding raceway bore 38, and which is rotatably mounted on an axle42 projecting axially from the hub portion of a spur gear 44, whosepitch circle is of substantially the same diameter as roller 41. Gear 44meshes with an internal gear 45 formed or mounted within housing bodymember 35 concentrically with the corresponding raceway bore, and whosepitch circle is of substantially the same diameter as said bore.

Each rotor 40 is designed to turn in an orbital path about its raceway38, with gear 44 in mesh with ring or internal gear 45, and with roller41 rolling on the bearing surface afforded by the bore 38. To maintainthe roller 41 in proper engagement with the raceway 38 while thegenerator is at rest, or coming up to speed, the axle 42. of the rotoris provided with an axial pin 46 which rides around a circular boss 47projecting inwardly from sidewall 36 on the axis of the raceway bore 38.

Shaft is acoustically coupled to the generator 23 by beingflange-connected at its end to the body member 35, as shown clearly inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The two rotors 46 are driven through a pair of rotatable and conicallygyratory driveshafts 54, each of which has a universal joint coupling 55to the corresponding spur gear. 44. The lower of the two shafts 54 isconnected through a universal joint 56 to the extremity of a shaft 57mounted coaxial with the lowermost raceway bore 38, and journalled inthe walls of a suitable gear housing 60. The upper shaft 54 is similarlyconnected through a universal joint 61 to the extremity of a shaft 62mounted coaxial with the upper raceway bore 38, and journalled also insuitable bearings afforded by gear housing 60. Shafts 57 and 62 carrymeshing spur gears 63 and 64, respectively, so that the shafts 54 andthe rotors 49 turn in opposite directions. As here shown, the gearhousing 69 is mounted on a stand 70, which also supports an electricdrive motor 71 coupled to a spur gear 72 (PEG. 2) journalled in gearhousing 60 and meshing with the spur gear 63.

The operation of the vibration generator is as follows: Rotation ofshafts 54, which turn in opposite directions, rotates the two spur gears44 around the internal gears 45, two shafts 54 each moving in a conicalgyratory fashion. The inertia rollers 41 roll on the bearing surfaces38, so that the rotors 40 move in orbital paths around the raceway 38.The centrifugal force developed by the rotors moving in these orbitalpaths is taken by pressure of the rollers 41 on the surfaces of theraceways 38. The rollers 41 turn at nearly the same rate of rotation asthe gears 44, but with some slight variation or creep therebetween,which is accommodated by the rotatable mounting of the rollers 41 on thegear shafts 42. The two inertia rotors thus exert gyratory forces on thehousing body 35. The rotors 49, however, are phased so that the verticalcomponents of their motions will be always equal and opposed, while thehorizontal components thereof will be in phase or in step with oneanother. This is accomplished in the original setting of the rotors bymeans of the interconnecting gearing. For example, as shown in FIG. 3,the two rotors may be set so that one is at its extreme uppermostposition while the other is at its extreme lowermost position.Accordingly, the rotors move up and down with equal and opposedmovements, and the vertical components of the reactive forces exertedthereby on the housing 35 are equal and opposed and cancelled within thehousing. On the other hand, the gyrating rotors move horizontally instep with one another, so that the horizontal components of theirreactive forces exerted against the housing are equal and in phase, andthe reactive forces experienced by the housing 35 are thereforeadditive. The housing 35 therefore exerts an alternating force along adirection line perpendicular to the paper in FIG. 3, and in longitudinalalignment with the shaft 16 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be observed that the preferred type of generator disclosed has adesirable frequency step-up characteristic from drive motor input tovibratory housing output force, in that for each orbital trip of a givengear 44 and its corresponding inertia roller 41 around the inside of internal gear and raceway bore 38, the shaft 54, gear 44 and roller 41make only a small fraction of a complete revolution on their own axes.The shafts 54 thus gyrate in their conical paths at greater frequencythan their own rotational frequency on their own axes. Thus the orbitalfrequency of the inertia rotors 41, and the vibration output frequencyof the generator housing, is correspondingly multiplied over therotational frequency of the drive motor. A simple low speed drive motormay thus be used, and a desirably high vibration output frequencyobtained therefrom. The output frequency may be set in the design of thegenerator, the step up in frequency being determined by the relativediameters of the gears 44- and 45. The output frequency is at someselected value in the typical range of to 500 c.p.s., and it will beevident that, for a motor of any given speed rating, the gear ratio frommotor to generator, and the step-up of frequency within the generator,may readily be made such as to furnish the desired output frequency. Thefrequency range quoted is typical for many common types of input andoutput. Some metallurgical and chemical processes desire a very finepowder. For the latter I may use known acoustic sources giving tens orhundreds of thousands of cycles per second.

From the foregoing description of the vibration generator 20, it will beunderstood that the effect of the operation of the latter is to apply tothe extremity of elastic shaft 16 an alternating force directed alongthe longitudinal axis of said shaft. The shaft 16, preferably and in theillustrative embodiment, has its intermediate mounting collar 21 locatedsubstantially closer to its end coupled to the jaw 15 than to its endcoupled to the generator 20. As shown in the present drawings, themounting point is located at about 25% of the length of the shaft fromthe coupling point to the jaw 15, though it may be substantially closer.The generator 20 is driven to furnish an output frequency such as willset up in the shaft 16 a longitudinally oriented resonant standing wave,with a node N at the mounting collar 21 of the shaft, an antinode V atthe coupling point to the jaw 15, and an antinode V at the generatorhousing. The prime mover 71, gearing leading therefrom, the gear ratioof generator 71, and the length and mounting point of shaft 16 aredesigned in relation to one another to produce the desired resonantstanding wave in shaft 16, utilizing principles which are familiar tothose skilled in the art. This standing wave is in general ofhalf-wavelength character, in that it has velocity antinodes at its endsand an intervening node. The wave pattern is modified, however, bylocation of the fixed mounting point for the shaft 16 suificientlycloser to one end of the shaft than the other, and by the large mass ofthe jaw 15, so that its actual length is closer toone-quarter-wavelength. The standing wave pattern obtained is diagrammedin FIG. 1, just above the shaft 16, the vertical height of the patternat any point along its length being representative of both the amplitudeand velocity of longitudinal vibration at the corresponding point of theacoustic system or circuit comprised of the shaft 16, jaw 15 andgenerator 21 As will be understood, and as is evident from the standingwave pattern diagrarnmed in FIG. 1, the amplitude of longitudinalvibration at the mounting point of the shaft 16 is substantially zero,affording the aforementioned node N. The two arms 16a and 16b of theelastic shaft 16 elastically elongate and contract in unison with oneanother in the establishment of the standing wave pattern, theextremities of the arms 16a and 161) having relative amplitudes asrepresented by the standing wave diagram above the shaft. As willfurther be evident, the amplitude of the vibratory motion isconsiderably larger at the generator end of the shaft 16 than it is atthe jaw 15. Correspondingly, the cyclic force exerted by the shaft arm160 on the jaw 15, and in turn by the jaw on the rock in the slot S, isproportionately multiplied over the cyclic force exerted by thegenerator 2h on the generator end of the shaft. At the same time, thevelocity, or displacement amplitude, of the large, inertia mass jaw 15is relatively low. The rock wedged between the inertia mass jaws 14 and15 is thus subjected to a cyclic stress of high magnitude, but withdisplacement amplitude and velocity at a very low magnitude. Thecondition at both the jaw 15 and within the rock between the jaws isthus one of high acoustic impedance. Under these conditions, the rockundergoes an alternating compressional and tensional wave, with themagnitude of cyclic tension materially exceeding the endurance limit ofthe rock, so that the rock fails quickly by elastic fatigue, andshatters rapidly into smaller and smaller particles. The rock isindicated generally at R in FIG. 1, and will be seen to enter the slot Sfrom hopper 26 in relatively large particles, which are progressivelyreduced in size by the action of the jaws, and fall by gravity from thelower end of the slot S, reduced to a predetermined maxirnum size, aswill be clear from PEG. 1. The rocx particles will be seen to be in theacoustic circuit of the rock crusher during this progressive reductionin size owing to the wedge shape of the slot. The described highacoustic impedance at the movable jaw 15 is desirable for good impedancematch to the rock. The desirable high impedance is attained by using ajaw 15 of large inertia mass, and therefore high mass reactance. Byproviding for a mass reactance which is large as compared with theresistive vector component of the impedance (which resistive componentis of course owing to frictionfl dissipation of energy in the process)the Q factor of the vibratory system is desirably high. The factor Qwill of course be understood to be a figure of merit of vibratorysystems, measured either by the ratio of the reactive component ofimpedance to the resistive component thereof, or by the ratio of energystored to energy expended per cycle of operation. An additionaladvantage of the provision of a high impedance at the movable jaw andwithin the rock, and a considerably lower impedance at the vibrationgenerator, is that the generator can then operate easily with highmobility, under practical conditions of lower force and higher velocitythat is requisite at the crusher jaw. -t can also be driven readily fromsimple and conventional prime movers. The system is thus characterizedby desirably low impedance at the generator end, and desirably highimpedance at the rock crushing end, with the intervening elmticallyvibratory shaft 16 functioning as an acoustic lever, or in anotherconcept, as m impedance adjusting transformer.

While the node N for the shaft 16 is here shown as located approximatelyof the length of the shaft from the inertia-mass jaw 15, it can, inpractice, he considerably closer, with desirably further increasedoutput impedance. The jaw 15 may thus have its amplitude of vibrationreduced to a very small magnitude. The total length of the standing waveis then quite close to a quarter-wavelength, and from a practicalstandpoint, the standing wave may be said to be approximately aquarterwavelength long. Even in such case, however, the standing wavesystem comprises two velocity antinodes and an intervening node, sothat, while the actual distance from antinode V to node N may becomequite small, the standing wave is in the nature of a half-wave system inthe sense that it has opposed motion at its ends, and an interveningnode. And, of course, harmonic frequency standing waves are quitepossible, and comprise modifications within the scope of the invention.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a water discharge pipe 69, leading in tohopper 26. In one practice of the inven tion, water can thus be runthrough the slot 8 during the treatment, aiding in cleaning the rock ofdirt and organic material, and in moving the smaller material downwardthrough the slot. This water also acts as a coupling medium between theface of the jaw 15 and the rock. Without the water, necessary acousticcoupling arises from the rock becoming wedged between the two jaws. WithWater present, sonic waves are radiated from the movable jaw into thewater, and thence to rock particles not in direct contact with the jaws.The sonic waves then traverse such rock, and subject it to a cyclicstress leading to fatigue failure. Also, the sonic waves in the watersurrounding the rock have a sonic cleansing action on the rock, removingdirt and organic material from the rock, and washing the same down andout of the crusher.

In FIGS. 47, I have shown a modification in which the stationaryinertia-mass jaw of FIGS. 1 and 2 is replaced by a second vibratory jaw,connected into a dual acoustic circuit so as to vibrate in oppositephase to the first vibratory jaw.

A skid type base 80 is provided, generally similar to the base 10 of thefirst described embodiment. Near one end of this base is a vibratory,inertia mass jaw 81. This jaw 81 is mounted on one end of an elastic,longitudinally vibratory shaft 82, the opposite end of which supportsand is acoustically coupled to a sonic wave generator $3, which may beprecisely similar to the generator it? of FIGS. 1 to 3. In the case ofthe present embodiment, however, the generator 83 is oriented in a planeat right angles to that of the generator 29 of FIGS. 1 to 3. Thus, thetwo rotors 84 of generator 83 are on horizontally or laterally spacedvertical axes, as will be clear from an inspection of FIG. 5. It willfurther be clear then, notwithstanding the turning of the generatorthrough 90 degrees, the generator 83 operates, in the general manner ofgenerator 2% of FIGS. 1 to 3, to apply to the end of shaft 82 analternating force directed longitudinally of said shaft. Between jBIW 81and generator 33 the shaft has cylindrical mounting collar 35, located,as in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2, substantially closer to jaw 81 than togenerator 83. This mounting collar 85 is embraced by split mountingblock 86 fixed to the top flange of I-beam 37 supported on frame 80.

Horizontally opposed to vibratory inertia mass jaw 81 is a vibratoryinertia mass jaw 83, in the general form of a rectangular block, asclearly appears in FIGS. 4 and 5. This vibratory jaw 88 is mounted onthe ends of a pair of elastic, longitudinally vibratory shafts 89,extending generally parallel to and on opposite sides of shaft 82,outside or beyond the two ends of the vibratory jaw 81, as clearlyappears in FIG. 5. The opposite end of each of shafts 89 is acousticallycoupled to and supports a sonic wave generator 99, preferablyconstructed like generators 29 and 83 and oriented like the generator83. Each of the two shafts 39 is of approximately half thecross-sectional area of the shaft 82, and each generator tl isdimensioned to generate approximately half the output force of thegenerator 33. The shafts 89 are provided with mounting collars 91embraced by split mounting blocks 92 fixed to the top flange of anI-beam 93 mounted on base 8% the collars be ng located closer to jaw 88than to generators 99, in substantially the same proportionate locationas that of collar on shaft 82.

The inertia jaw 88 is dimensioned to have approximately the same mass asinertia jaw 81. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, jaw 88 is squaredoff vertically, so as to present a working face 88a in a vertical plane.The opposed side of jaw 81 is channelled to form steep sloping workingface 81a, with vertical edge margins 94 to confine the rock between thejaws. These confirmations define a wedge-shaped path or slot S for therock particles through the space between the jaws, the wider end of thewedge being at the top. As in the earlier embodiment, the rock materialis in the acoustic circuit of the rock crusher while in this slot. Ahopper 95 leading into slot S is supported by standard 96 erected fromthe base 81}. The jaw faces 81a and 88a are spaced from one another atthe top to receive the largest rock particles anticipated, while at thebottom the spacing is such as to pass material ground or crushed to thefineness desired.

An internal combustion engine 190, serving as a prime mover, is mountedon base I-beams 101, and the driveshaft of this engine carries bevelgear 104 in mesh with bevel gear 105 on a vertical shaft 166 (FIG. 7)journalled suitably in the upper and lower walls of a gear housing It)?mounted on one end of base 80. The gear housing Hi7 includes a removablecover 163, some of which has been broken away in FIG. 6.

Bevel gear shaft 106 carries, within housing 107, a spur gear 119, whichmeshes with a spur gear 111 on a shaft 112, and this shaft 112 iscoupled through universal joint 113, conically gyratory driveshaft 114and a universal joint 115 to one of the rotor shafts of generator 83.Generator 83, like generator 29, has two inertia rotors, such as $4,each driven by a driveshaft such as the shaft 114 shown in FIG. 7. Aspur gear 116 meshing with spur gear 111, and therefore turning in theopposite direction, will be understood to drive the second inertia rotor84 of the generator $3 through a second conically gyratory driveshaftand universal joint coupling arrangement, not shown, but identical tothat illustrated in FIG. 7. The inertia rotors 84 will be understood tobe phased like those of the generator of FIGS. 1-3, so as to produce analternating output force applied to the end of shaft 82.

The gear 119 on bevel gear shaft 196 also meshes with a gear 120 on ahousing-journalled shaft 121 that is coupled through universal joint122, conically gyratory driveshaft 123 and universal joint 124 to one ofthe inertia motor 125 of one of the sonic wave generators 9d (the onetowards the bottom of the drawing as viewed in FIGS. and 6). Fast withgear 129 is a smaller gear 126, meshing with an equal sized gear 127 ona housingjournalled shaft 128 (FTG. 6), and this shaft 128 will beunderstood to drive the second inertia rotor 125 of generator 90 througha second conically gyratory drive shaft and universal joint couplingarrangement, not shown, but understood to be identical to that shown inFIG. 7.

Thegear 116 also drives a gear train operating the second sonic wavegenerator hi), all in a manner substantially identical to the case ofthe first generator 90. Thus, as appears in FIG. 5, gear 116 meshes witha gear 110,

' which is identical to gear 110 excepting that it is an idler ratherthan a power input gear; and gear 110' drives gear 129', with whichturns a gear 126 meshing with and driving a gear 127'. The gears 126'and 127 drive the inertia rotors 125 of the second generator 90 throughshafts, universal joints, and a conically gyratory shaft arrangementsuch as seen in FIG. 7, and which need not be further illustrated.

The pair of inertia rotors 125 of each of sonic wave generators 90 arephased for cooperation to generate an alternating force longitudinallyof the corresponding shaft 89. That is to say, the rotors 125 of eachgenerator are interconnected with one another through their gearingarrangements so as to move longitudinally of shaft 89 in unison with oneanother, and transversely of shaft 89 in opposition to one another. Thusthe force components longitudinal of the shaft 89 are additive, whilethose transversely of the shaft are cancelled. Moreover, the inertiarotors 125 of both generators 99 are interconnected by the interveninggear train to be in phase with one another, so that the alternatingforces applied by the two wave generators to the shafts 89 will be inphase; while the inertia rotors 84 of the sonic wave generator 83 areinterconnected in the gear train to be in 180 phase opposition to theinertia rotors of the generators N. Accordingly, the alternating forceapplied to the end of shaft 82 is in 180 phase opposition to thealternating forces applied to the corresponding ends of the two shafts89. Therefore, the inertia masses 8]. and 88, which comprise the twojaws of the rock crusher, vibrate in opposed phase, or in opposition toone another.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the acoustic system comprisedof the inertia mass jaw 81, the elastic shaft 82;, stationarily mountedat 85, 86, and the sonic wave generator 83, when driven by generator 83at a resonant standing wave frequency for the system, vibrates in ahalf-wavelength type of standing wave pattern such as represented inFlG. 1, there being a velocity antinode at V, a node at N, and avelocity antinode at V'. In a similar manner, the acoustic vibratorysystem comprised of the inertia mass jaw 88, the two elastic shafts 89,stationarily mounted at 91, 2, and the two sonic wave generators 9%,provide a half-wavelength type of standing vave pattern, also like thatdiagrammed in FIG. 1, when the generators 9d are operated at theresonant standing wave frequency of this system. An inspection of FIG. 5will reveal that the masses and dimensions of the two systems, i.e.,that comprised of jaw 81, shaft 82, and generator 83, and that comprisedof jaw 88, the two shafts 89, and the two generators 9d, aresufficiently comparable that a good resonant standing wave pattern canboot)- tained in both systems in a common properly chosen frequencyrange. The previously described gear train interconnecting the severalgenerators will be seen, from FIGS. 5 and 6, to besuch as to drive theseveral genera- .tors at a common frequenc and internal combustionengine 1% will be understood to be operated at a controlled speed toaccomplish resonant standing wave behavior in both systems. Since thealternating forces applied to the shaft 82 and to the shafts 89 are 180out of phase, the two inertia mass jaws 81 and 88 vibrate towards andfrom one another in 180 opposition. Rock material in the wedge-shapedslot S between the jaws is accordingly subjected to the high forcesincident to the low amplitude vibratory movements of these inertia massjaws. The detailed discussions given in the introductory portion of thisspecification and in connection with the first described embodiment(FIGS. 1-3) as to conditions of acoustic impedance, extremely high forceapplication but low amplitude of vibratory movement at the jaws, wavepattern and wave length characteristics, etc, apply equally here. Theessential difference is simply, that, in the present case, both jawsvibrate, instead of one being vibratory and the other stationary. In thefirst system, in effect, the rock material is between a highinertiaanvil member and a high impedance vibratory output member of anelastically vibratory sonic system. In the second instance, the rockmaterial is between two high impedance vibratory output members of twoelastically vibratory sonic systems operating in 180 phase opposition.

In the foregoing description, it will be evident that both of thesystems described accomplish the objectives preliminarily stated, andembody the various features of advantage described in the int oductoryportion of the specification. Rock material is crushed rapidly and diminished in size to predetermined fineness using machinery which can begreatly lightened in many of its parts as compared with conventionalrock crushers, and which can easily be made portable for readytransportation to or about the site of operations.

It will be understood that the drawings and description are merely forillustrative purposes, and that various changes in design, structure andarrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a crushing apparatus of the character described:

a pair of opposed, massive crusher jaws between which a substance to becrushed may be positioned, and at least one of which is vibratory towardand from the other,

a sonic wave generator adapted to deliver an alternating output force,and

an elastically vibratory wave transmission system comprising a member ofsolid elastic material having a range of elastic vibrations intercoupledbetween said generator and said vibratory jaw, so as to receive saidalternating force, undergo corresponding elastic vibration, and impartvibration to said vibratory jaw 2. The subject matter of claim 1,wherein said jaw! are horizontally opposed to one another,

said vibratory jaw is movable by said wave transmission system with ahorizontal component of vibration, and

said jaws present to one another opposed faces which define a downwardlydirected wedge-shaped passage for the substance to be crushed.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said elastically vibratorytransmission system is characterized by relatively low acousticimpedance where coupled to said sonic wave generator, and relativelyhigh impedance where coupled to said vibratory jaw, whereby relativelyhigh vibration amplitude and low cyclic force at the generator istransformed into relatively low vibration amplitude and high cyclicforce at the vibratory jaw.

4. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said elastically vibratorytransmission system comprises an elongated longitudinally elasticallyvibratory structure coupled at one end to said sonic wave generator, andat its other end to said vibratory jaw, and

means operating said sonic wave generator at a resonant longitudinalstanding wave frequency for the acoustic system comprised of saidvibratory jaw, elongated vibratory structure, and sonic wave generator.

5. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said elastically vibratorytransmission system comprises an elongated longitudinally elasticallyvibratory structure coupled at one end to said sonic wave generator, andat its other end to said vibratory jaw,

and including means affording a stationary nodal point support for saidelongated structure at a point substantially nearer its end coupled tosaid vibratory jaw than to its end coupled to said sonic wave generator,and

means operating said sonic wave generator at a resonant longitudinalstanding wave frequency for the acoustic system comprised of saidvibratory jaw, elongated vibratory structure, and sonic wave generator.

6. The subject matter of claim 5, wherein the second of the massiveopposed crusher jaws is mounted to function as an anvil.

7. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said jaws are horizontallyopposed to one another, with a space for material to be crushedtherebetween, and said vibratory jaw is movable with a horizontalcomponent of vibration,

said elastically vibratory transmission system comprising a generallyhorizontally elongated longitudinally vibratory structure coupled at oneend to said sonic wave generator, and at its other end to said vibratoryj means affording a stationary nodal point support for said elongatedstructure at a point substantially nearer its end coupled to saidvibratory jaw than to its end coupled to said sonic wave generator, and

1% means operatin said sonic wave generator at a resonant longitudmalystanding wave frequency for the acoustic system comprised of saidvibratory jaw, elongated vibratory structure, and sonic wave generator.

8. The subject matter of claim 7, wherein the second of the massivecrusher jaws is mounted to function as an anvil.

9. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said crusher jaws are bothvibratory toward and from one another, and there is a sonic wavegenerator for each jaw, and an elastically vibratory wave transmissionsystem intercoupled between each generator and the correspondingvibratory jaw, and

means interconnecting the sonic wave generators in a phase relationshipproducing opposed vibratory movements of the jaws toward and from oneanother.

10. The subject matter of claim 9, wherein:

said jaws are horizontally opposed to one another,

said vibratory jaws are movable by said wave transmission systems withhorizontal components of vibration, and

means operating said sonic wave generator at a resonant longitudinalstanding wave frequency for the acoustic system comprised of saidvibratory jaw, elongated vibratory structure, and sonic wave generator.

11. The subject matter of claim 9, wherein said elastically vibratorywave transmission systems have relatively low acoustic impedance wherecoupled to said sonic wave generators and relatively high impedancewhere coupled to said jaws.

12. The subject matter of claim 9, wherein,

said elastically vibratory wave transmission systems comprise elongatedlongitudinally elastically vibratory structures, each coupled at one endto the corresponding wave generator and at the other to thecorresponding jaw,

the two acoustic systems comprised of the two elastically vibratory wavetransmission systems taken together, in each case, with theircorresponding wave generator and jaw, being resonant in a commonfrequency range, and

means operating said wave generators in said common frequency range.

13. The subject matter of claim 12, including:

means aiford ng a stationary nodal point support for each of saidelongated longitudinally elastically viratory structures at a pointsubstantially nearer its end coupled to the corresponding jaw than toits end coupled to the corresponding wave generator.

References fired in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS962,998 Christ et al June 28, 1910 2,198,148 Bailey Apr. 23, 19402,258,059 Kessler Oct. 7, 1941 2,960,314 Bodine Nov. 15, 1960 OTHERREFERENCES Russia, 122,663, application date Dec. 15, 1956, approved forprinting Aug. 7, 1959.

1. IN A CRUSHING APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED: A PAIR OFOPPOSED, MASSIVE CRUSHER JAWS BETWEEN WHICH A SUBSTANCE TO BE CRUSHEDMAY BE POSITIONED, AND AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS VIBRATORY TOWARD ANDFROM THE OTHER, A SONIC WAVE GENERATOR ADAPTED TO DELIVER AN ALTERNATINGOUTPUT FORCE, AND AN ELASTICALLY VIBRATORY WAVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEMCOMPRISING A MEMBER OF SOLID ELASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A RANGE OF ELASTICVIBRATIONS INTERCOUPLED BETWEEN SAID GENERATOR AND SAID VIBRATORY JAW,SO AS TO RECEIVE SAID